Through Your Eyes
by MonPetitLoupDeMort
Summary: The world is different in the eyes of each. The same events take on different meanings. The same story is not so similar when told by you. First Chapter, Kurogane's view. Second, Fai's view. Third, Sakura's view. Fourth, Syaoran's view.
1. Unreal, Kurogane's View

A/N: This is an experiment. I'm going to try to write this same story from everyone's point of view. Each chapter will be one person. The first one here is Kurogane. I'm not sure who to do next. Thanks for your patience.

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Kurogane POV

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If that stupid white manjuu were here right now, I would… Argh!

This is the third world in a row now that it's dropped us into separated. I hope that at least the mage and the kids are together. I'm not sure who needs watching more, him or them. They'll manage between them anyway.

This world is dirty, with squat buildings divided by twisting and turning streets and alleyways. I'm in a longer stretch of alleyway, lit by dimly glowing lamps at the far ends, and the cloud-obscured sun above. This would not be a good place to pick a fight as a stranger, especially not with someone who knows the area.

I'm not going anywhere right now. The sun is setting soon, and I don't want to leave here and get lost in the dark. It looks like this is home for the night. Not much, but I've coped with worse.

Right after I've settled myself sitting against the wall in one of the darker areas of the alley, I hear footsteps.

As they get closer, I can hear ragged breathing accompanying their harsh beat. Someone is running this way. Behind them the faint clack of hooves is perceivable, but not nearly as loud or as fast approaching as the footsteps.

The runner passes by the end of the alleyway, then slows. The only part of him visible when he had passed under the lamp at the end was a mop of blond hair streaked by soot. He returns to the end of the alley, this time avoiding the light and trying to sneak. He only gets about halfway between the light and myself before sinking down into a sprawled sitting position.

Minutes pass, and he seems to be building up the strength to stand again. If only he would, then I would get a clear view of him.

The hoovebeats grow nearer, not even going past the alley, but turning straight in. Even as the horse and its rider step into view under the light, the man in the alley stiffens with resolve and stands.

The rider of the horse is pale white, with long, black hair carrying a gun in one hand and the reins in the other. He looks at the man he has been chasing with cold amber eyes. Shifting my gaze to the blonde now facing the man on the horse, he looks familiar for a moment. He stands in a loose way, seemingly unbalanced, with his hands on his hips. Even with the seemingly careless gesture, any warrior would be able to tell him for a man tensed and ready to strike.

Then it hits me full force. A lanky, blonde man running from someone. Looking at him with new eyes, I can see now that it could only be the mage. Even without his coat, and with his back turned, I can see that now. That could only make the man on the horse that person. The one that makes Fai run.

The man on the horse says something softly to Fai. I'm too far to hear, so I creep closer, sticking to the shadows.

"But you know it has to be like this." Fai says, with his regular careless abandon, his unseen smile reflecting in his voice.

"But it doesn't. You can come back with me. This will never have happened." The rider says in a whispery tone. He drops the reins for a moment to hold out his hand to Fai. "Please, come back before it's too late Fai."

"Don't you see, it is already too late… Ashura…" Fai is speaking, for once, in a serious tone, tinged by sadness and regret.

Just as I get as close as I can come to them, without them seeing me, Fai makes his move.

He's got more of those silly darts and goes charging at Ashura, tossing them at him one at a time. Ashura simply knocks them out of the air casually with his gun.

Fai pulls a thin, curving dagger out of his sleeve as he launches himself at Ashura. There is no time to dodge or parry, and one of them is going to die now.

I watch all this with a detached view. All my emotions have disappeared, save for this towering battle rage mounting inside me. It's all I can do to hold it back. The mage can take care of himself, I don't need to get involved in his battles. Anyway, this one is going to be over in seconds.

A shattering boom pulls me back into the moment. I pass a second in confusion before realizing that it was the gun. I had forgotten the gun that Ashura held, but Ashura defiantly had not.

He froze a moment with the barrel of his gun smoking. Looking down in sorrow and rage and horror at the bloody form on the ground before him. He did not even get off his horse to check if Fai still lived. This image of Ashura over Fai's body I will not ever forget.

Before I can make a single move to stop him, Ashura has whirled his horse around and galloped away. There is no way I could catch him on foot. There are more pressing matters anyway.

I rush over to Fai's side in the fading light. He lies in a dark pool of blood, ever widening. The bullet went into his chest and all the way out the other side. He's lost do much blood that it's a surprise to me that he can still speak.

"Thank you…" He whispers to no one in particular. Not anyone here anyway.

I tear of several bandages from my cloak, and wrap them around him. I try not to move him much, but I have to get the bandages around the other side to stop the bleeding there too.

He looks at me for the first time after I lean him up. He looks like he's seen a ghost when he focuses on my face.

"I… I missed you…" He says in a voice so faint, that I would not have heard it if I was even an inch further from him. Then he collapses, and I know it is pointless.

He is gone. The fool that could not die had just slipped away between my fingers. The moment is unreal, and I can feel myself slipping into a more primitive rage.

Before I am completely consumed, I let out one cry of anguish.

Voices approach swiftly. Night has fallen completely, and I cannot see them until they come under the light. I pull out Souhi, and prepare to do battle with whoever it is. My rage is no longer containable.

"I swear it came from this direction!" Yells a voice, coming closer to my location. In a past life I might have recognized it as Syaoran's but there is no reason in this life. Only loss, and fighting.

The past-life Syaoran-boy and past-life Sakura-girl come into the light. They cannot see me, but the boy hears the rasping of my sword against its sheath. He reacts instantly, pushing the girl out of the light and drawing his blade at the same time.

I am on him in a flash. He is prepared, and blocks my first strike, but I move without pause to a second, a third, a fourth. He only has time and energy to block my attacks as they come with increasing frequency. Then I hear another voice.

"What's Kuro-wan doing? Syaoran-kun's going to need those arms you're trying so hard to chop off." The sound comes from outside the other side of the light.

I turn to face the voice, sword at the ready. Then he steps into the light.

Fai.

He's standing there, in his huge coat with that silly smile of his. That infuriating smile.

My sword falls from my hands with a clatter. I sink to my knees, and my mind has gone absolutely numb and uncomprehending.

"Kuro-rin, did I say something wrong?" He asks. I can't answer, my voice has fled.

He looks over in the direction of the corpse, at what I can only assume is the trickle of blood seeping into the ring of light. He sends Syaoran out to the street on the pretence of tending to his princess.

"Kuro-mu… What happened?" He asks in a wondering voice, while already heading towards the corpse in the shadows. I don't know what he was expecting, but the look on his face when he drags his lifeless body into the light to get a good look at the face says that this wasn't it.

"Kuro…" He stares uncomprehendingly into the face exactly like his. My voice comes back.

"I thought… It was that person, Ashura. I thought he had caught you." I say, getting to my feet and collecting my sword. Fai looks up at me.

"No. No, this Fai is free where he doesn't have to run anymore…" Fai whispers, in a tone much to close to the other Fai's for comfort.

"Don't say stupid things like that." I growl. He only looks at me for a moment before returning the dead Fai to the shadows. He stands up proper.

"Why not? No one would care." He says in a joking tone.

"Idiot, you've got four people that would care a whole damn lot if you just went off and got yourself killed. Stop trying to lie to yourself." I say before turning away to leave.

"And you said you don't like to say pretty things. So what do we tell the kids?" Fai asks.

"The truth. That I was simply testing the boy's skills under realistic conditions. Nothing more." I tell him. He laughs.

"Ahhh, Kuro-rin is getting good at this lying too." Fai says before following me out of the light.


	2. Thoughts, Fai's View

A/N: Concrit for this would be highly appreciated, with it's experimental nature and all. This is Fai, next either Sakura or Syaoran. I'm saving Mokona and the others for later.

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Fai's POV

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Another rough landing. I sigh. At least this time I'm only a few yards down the street from Sakura and Syaoran.

I pick myself up off the street with a grin, and mosey on over to Syaoran and his princess. Kuro-pi won't be very happy, and I'd hate to miss the chance to irritate him some more.

Syaoran is inspecting Sakura for injuries, but both seem intact, minor bumps and scrapes aside.

We seem to have landed in the middle of the street in an industrial-type city. The streets go every which way, like some illegible scribble. No one is about, but night will fall soon anyway, if the sun is any indication. We're going to want shelter before then, but none of the buildings seem to have doors. Or any kind of entrances or openings for that matter.

"Fai-san!" Syaoran calls. Sakura looks over her shoulder to see me.

"Syaoran-kun, Sakura-chan. Where's Mokona and Kuro-mu?" I ask when close enough.

"Mokona is here! Mokona senses a feather!" The little white fellow pops up from between Sakura and Syaoran, eternally cheery.

"That's great. But no Kuro-tan?" I respond. He won't be happy when he finds us. It'll be fun. There is a slight popping noise far off.

"Mokona, can you tell where the feather is?" Syaoran asks in that politely formal tone of his.

"No. There is one, but Mokona can't feel where it is." He mopes.

"Don't worry Moko-chan, Syaoran-kun will find it." Sakura says, as she picks up and places Mokona on her shoulder.

"We should get moving and find shelter, princess. You look asleep on your feet." Syaoran frets so much. Being worried that much of the time just isn't healthy.

"Arrrrrrrrrahhhhhhhh!" A lone cry of anguish and sorrow rends the evening air.

"Kuro-pon!" It was him, no doubt about it. The cry echoes around the air, and Syaoran closes his eyes for a moment. He takes off running towards it, pulling Sakura with him. I follow slowly, after a moment's frozen shock.

I've never heard him sound like that before. Like something was torn away out of him. I am afraid. For what, of what, I am unsure.

But I shake it off and start running full before Syaoran and Sakura are out of sight.

The sunlight is gone now, the streets only illuminated by the occasional lamplight.

"Syaoran-kun, I'm scared." Sakura says shakily. He only looks back at her with his I'm-never-ever-going-to-let-anything-happen-to-you face for a moment, then turns back to keep running.

"Ne, Syaoran! Are you sure it's this way?" I call to him. These streets amplify and distort sound in strange ways. A moment after I speak, I can hear an echo of my own voice coming from the left. I'd never be able to find Kuro-chi on my own in this place, but Syaoran seems so sure.

"I swear it came from this direction!" He calls back, just before entering the light of a lamp before a dark ally. There is a faint sound of metal sliding, and Syaoran pushes Sakura out of the light towards me with his left hand while drawing his sword with is right.

I catch Sakura and set her back on her feet proper. At the sound of clashing steel, I look up.

Kuro-tan is pressing a blindingly relentless set of attacks on Syaoran, so fast that it is all Syaoran can do to keep up and block him. If it keeps going like this, Syaoran's going to make some slip-up, and it'll all be over.

"Stay here." I quietly instruct Sakura, before addressing the combatants in a loud and frivolous tone.

"What's Kuro-wan doing? Syaoran-kun's going to need those arms you're trying so hard to chop off." Kuro-pi stops dead in his tracks, then whirls to face my direction, sword raised and ready.

I take a moment to quash my nervousness before stepping into the light with a deliberately exaggeratedly silly manner. He stares at me with such strangely… vacant… eyes.

His sword slips from between his hands, and his legs buckle out from under him. He is on his knees and simply staring at me with haunted eyes, a look I am quite familiar with. It is the same look I see in mirrors I pass.

"Kuro-rin, did I say something wrong?" I ask lightly. No use upsetting Syaoran more than he already is by mentioning the trickle of blood that has just caught my eye seeping into the ring of light. When Kuro-chan shows no signs of answering, I head over to Syaoran. I quietly ask him to go check on Sakura, tell him that I will take care of this. He looks at me strangely, but goes anyway. When he is gone I look back at Kuro-tan.

"Kuro-mu… What happened?" I barely breathe the words as a million possibilities flit through my head. I find myself moving towards the blood, which I can now see is coming from a shadowy form outside the light. A body.

Maybe it was a Tomoyo-chan. Maybe someone hurt her, and he blames himself. Maybe it was a Sakura, or a Souma. Maybe it was just another person, and his rage got the better of him. Maybe he killed… But that's not like Kuro-mu, not now.

I'm at the body, and have grabbed it to drag it into the light. Maybe I shouldn't. But my body is no longer listening to my mind's maybes.

The body is in the light now, and I have to look it in the face. For a moment or two the identity doesn't register. It is as if there were a mirror before my eyes. I'm holding my own dead body. That single thought chases itself around my head until it sinks in.

"Kuro…" I can only continue to look, spellbound. More what if's come into my mind. At least this is a bullet wound, not a sword wound. This is not Kuro's handiwork.

"I thought… It was that person, Ashura. I thought he had caught you." Kuro's voice has come back apparently. I try not to flinch when he says that name, but don't succeed. I can only wonder at what twisted scenario played out here on this world, and only guess at what part of the final act Kuro witnessed.

"No. No, this Fai is free where he doesn't have to run anymore…" I whisper in an almost wistful, almost jealous voice.

"Don't say stupid things like that." Kuro growls as he looks at me. His eyes are lively and determined again, and that makes me glad. But I still can't let go of some of my jealousy. I drag my body, no, the body back into the shadows, most likely its final resting place. I say a silent prayer for that Fai before turning back to Kuro.

"Why not? No one would care." I tell him jokingly, waiting for him to agree with me.

"Idiot, you've got four people that would care a whole damn lot if you just went off and got yourself killed. Stop trying to lie to yourself." He says. Curse his ability to know a joke from a serious sentiment. He doesn't even stay, but turns to leave after only that.

"And you said you don't like to say pretty things. So, what do we tell the kids?" I call after him. He doesn't turn around.

"The truth. That I was simply testing the boy's skills under realistic conditions. Nothing more." He grumbles awkwardly. I wonder if that's his first real lie. Nothing would bother him more right now than me laughing, so I do so.

"Ahhh, Kuro-rin is getting good at this lying too." I tell him coyly, before stepping out of this ring of light and back into reality.


	3. Daydreaming, Sakura's View

A/N: Sorry for the delay. I was trying something new in this chapter. On a sidenote, it really is hard as I go on to more chapters to keep everything straight, and not contradict myself. Thanks for your patience. This is Sakura, Syaoran coming next.

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Sakura's POV

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Oh, we've had another rough landing in this world. I wonder if Moko-chan is ok. This makes three worlds in a row.

Before I can even look up from where I lay sprawled in the road, I feel a hand on my shoulder. Syaoran-kun is always looking out for me.

He sits down next to me as I pull myself into a sitting position. I give him a bright smile to show him I'm ok. I don't like it when he worries, especially about me.

He checks me over for injuries, even though I assure him I am fine. I look him over, and he seems relatively unharmed. His left knee is cut a little, and bleeds in tiny droplets onto the pavement when he moves his leg.

When I point it out, he tears off a bit of his cloak with the intent to bandage his leg himself, but I pull the fabric out of his hands. He is scrunching it up so that it would undoubtedly only cause more bleeding when he ties it on too tight, as he has a habit of doing. I carefully fold the fabric properly and tie it onto his leg with a ribbon I obtained in the last world.

He frets that he will ruin my ribbon with blood, but I tell him not to worry. The ribbon is replaceable. He smiles at me softly, as though far away.

He looks over my shoulder and calls out to Fai-san, who must have landed a short distance away. Fai-san is already moving towards us in a gait that seems rambling, but actually rapid.

When he gets close enough to speak in a regular talking tone, he addresses us, and asks about Moko-chan and Kurogane-san.

Speaking of Moko-chan, who was until recently sitting, probably obscured from view, between myself and Syaoran-kun, Mokona takes that exact moment to inform the world of his presence, and us of a feather in this world.

After the obligatory expression of cheerfulness over the feather, Fai-san expresses some lack of enthusiasm at the lack of Kurogane-san. Sometimes Fai-san spends as much time worrying as I do, especially at times when Syaoran-kun and Kurogane-san go off to fight by themselves. Times when all we can do is wait and hope and worry and try to entertain each other and hope even harder. Of course, he could just want to bother Kurogane-san some more. In the sport of making Kurogane-san lose his temper, Fai-san is the undisputed king. Not even Moko-chan can compare.

While I've drifted of into contemplative dreamland, Syaoran-kun is drilling Moko-chan about the feather, which seems to be giving Moko-chan some trouble. I pick up Moko-chan and reassure him that he really is appreciated, that Syaoran will find the feather no matter the obstacles. Not that anyone really needs any verbal reminder of that, a single look into Syaoran-kun's eyes would tell you the whole story.

Syaoran-kun's fretting over me again. I must look a little weary on my feet with the way I constantly slip into a mental world of my own. I try to give him a smile to show him I'm just fine, but a scream interrupts, carrying well in the still night air.

The scream is so full of agony and pain and indescribable emotion that a tear runs down my face. What could cause something like that?

Fai-san has perked up in a dreadfully serious way. He's gone white, and his eyes are wide with tiny, contracted pupils. He looks like when he's gotten a dreadful shock, so bad that he can't and doesn't even bother to try to disguise it. He whisper-exclaims Kurogane's name almost to himself.

I don't know how he could have recognized that almost inhuman scream as Kurogane-san's, but as I listen closer to the fading echoes, I realize that it is true. I am concerned, to say the least.

Syaoran-kun closes his eyes a moment and concentrates. He looks so serious. When his eyes snap open, and he grabs my hand while beginning to run, I am prepared and run slightly behind him.

I've never been much for covering up my feelings, so I tell Syaoran-kun how scared I am. He slows slightly as he turns around to face me for a moment. He doesn't even need to say a word, but just look at me with those expressive eyes of his, and I know I will be safe. We keep moving.

Fai-san frets about where we're going. The sound in this place is weird, echoed and distorted, constantly shifting. Finding a lone cry in the night has to be hard for even Syaoran-kun, but I believe in him. I know Fai-san does too, despite his fretting.

Syaoran-kun calls back affirmation to Fai-san right as he runs under a bright streetlamp and stops frozen, listening to something.

With a single swift movement he sends be reeling out of the light and draws Hien. Right before I stumble and begin to fall backwards I see Kurogane-san come charging out of the shadows at Syaoran-kun. Fai-san catches me before I can land on my bum, and steadies me until my feet are properly under me again.

I can hear the cold clash of steel against steel, so I force myself to look up at what is going on under the dazzling light. Kurogane-san is bashing at Syaoran-kun like a madman, not even a speck of reason or recognition showing in his flat eyes.

Fai-san watches them both with a sad and worried expression. He looks down at me, and I can feel him tense up as he steels himself to join the drama playing out. He tells me to stay here and places a hand on my shoulder. He looks back up resolutely and begins whatever role has been assigned him with a cheery nothing aimed at Kurogane-san.

Kurogane-san stops dead in his tracks, then slowly turns to face the direction of Fai-san's voice.

Fai-san fairly prances into the light, his eyes glued on Kurogane-san. Syaoran backs away from both a little, still holding Hien at the ready, blazing in flame.

Souhi drops to the cobblestones with a resounding clatter in the silence. Kurogane-san is suddenly on his knees, and Fai-san takes several unconscious steps towards him.

Fai-san ties another cheery nothing before noticing something out of my line of sight behind Kurogane-san. He makes brief conversation with Syaoran-kun, who then leaves the ring of light to come back over to me.

He starts with another I'm sorry, but I cut him off. I know he only had my best interests at heart, as always. He walks me back out to the brightly lit street, leaving Kurogane-san and Fai-san alone together.

We sit on the curb of the street, and something sparkling in a crack catches my eye. When I pick it up, I discover it to be a necklace made entirely of silver. It has a thin chain, dainty looking but durable. From the chain hangs a charm of worked silver, polished to such a brilliant luster that it seems to radiate light, rather than reflect it.

The charm is very intricately worked, and it reminds me of the designs on Fai-san's coat, or his absent minded doodlings on napkins.

I am just about to show it to Syaoran when a man on a horse approaches us. His skin is the palest white, and his long hair the darkest black contrast. His face is sad, but I can see memories of happier times playing across his eyes when he begins to speak.

He asks us about something precious that he lost, and offers a reward for finding it. I have a feeling of where this is going.

At my prompting, he tells us of his delicate silver necklace lost nearby. When I hold it up to the light his eyes shine with both regret and joy, and he ever so gently reaches down to relieve me of it.

I can tell that it belongs to someone precious to him, and say as much. He agrees, but with the past tense. He hesitates, uncertain of what reward to offer, and I get the feeling he hadn't thought much of this part before.

Syaoran-kun speaks up finally, asking about a silky tuft of white just barely poking out of the man's pocket. The man gets that nostalgic look again before answering. He pulls it out, and it really is one of my feathers.

He tells us that he was going to give it to someone precious, but that he couldn't now. He said that we could have it if we wanted. Syaoran-kun relieves the man of my feather in much the same gentle way as the man relieved me of his necklace.

The man gives us a sorrowful, and at the same time hopeful, farewell. I almost wish I could see him again, and get to know him better, but we will probably leave soon anyway.

Syaoran-kun reverently holds out my feather to me, and I absorb it. Just before I slip out of consciousness, I feel his arms catching me as I fall.

I snuggle into his warm, tight embrace feeling safe from all the world.


	4. Feeling, Syaoran's View

A/N: Sorry this took so long, I got disinspired partway through, so I set it aside and inspiration came back. I may do a different POV than Mokona's next chapter, another experment. I would also like your opinion on if I should do the alternate Fai/alternate Ashura POV. Thaks for sticking with me so far.

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Syaoran's POV

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I've barely hit the ground of this new world before I roll up onto my feet and look around. We've had so many bumpy landings that I'm beginning to get used to it.

Sakura-hime is sprawled on the street a few steps from me. I quickly close that distance, and lean down to check if she's alright. She looks up at me wonderingly before I help her into a sitting position and sit down myself.

I am in the process of checking her for injuries when she discovers the cut on my leg. I landed hard on a sharp stone a minute ago. I had been so preoccupied with Sakura-hime that I had not realized that it was bleeding until she pointed it out.

"I'll get it…" I mumble as I rip off another piece of my ragged cloak to bind the cut. Before I tie it on, however, Sakura gently tugs the fabric out of my hands. She folds it with much more care than I had, and ties it to my leg with her brand new ribbon.

"No, you shouldn't. It'll get ruined." I stammer, but she just smiles at me.

"I don't mind. Syaoran-kun needs it more than I do now. I can always get another." She says soothingly. I can feel myself smiling at her, a silly, distracted smile. I avert my eyes before any memories can overwhelm me, and that is how I see Fai-san approaching.

"Fai-san!" I call. Sakura twists around with her brow furrowed cutely to watch Fai-san's rapid approach.

"Syaoran-kun, Sakura-chan. Where's Mokona and Kuro-muu?" Fai-san asks with a characteristic mock-pout. Mokona springs out from between Sakura-hime and I.

"Mokona is here! Mokona senses a feather!" Mokona chirps with effervescent cheer.

"That's great! But no Kuro-tan?" Fai-san says, switching from enthusiasm to despondency at the drop of a hat. A far off sound sharply rings out, perhaps a gunshot in the distance. Not close enough to pose an immediate threat, anyway.

"Mokona, can you tell where the feather is?" I ask with well veiled enthusiasm. Mokona holds still and concentrates a moment before dropping his ears and slouching.

"No. There is one, but Mokona can't feel where it is." Mokona mutters deflatedly. I sigh. We'll have to do this the hard way, again. Sakura-hime picks up Mokona to comfort him.

"Don't worry Moko-chan, Syaoran-kun will find it." She says with a fresh smile. Again I get the feeling I have a foolish grin on my face right now. Sakura-hime gets up, but wobbles a little. I steady her with my hand on her arm, and she looks at me with a thank you in her eyes. For a moment I forget that my hand has not left her arm, but I don't forget that she doesn't seem to mind much. But then the moment flees, and I pull my hand away, slowly. If I know Fai-san, he'll be diligently not watching us right now, hiding a small smile. I begin to feel awkward again.

"We should get moving and find shelter, princess. You look asleep on your feet." I say with concern. She wouldn't last a couple miles down the road like this.

Really looking around for the first time since we arrived, I quickly notice that the buildings here have no discernable doors or windows. In fact, there seem to be no openings at all to the houses.

"Aiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiirrraaaaaaaaaaaah!"

An agonized cry rends the air, shattering the silent peace. A single tear runs down the princess's face. I move to wipe it away, but stop myself. It's not proper.

"Kuro-pon!" Fai-san mouths, barely a whisper trace of voice leaving his lips. The echoes of the scream twist around and return several times. I close my eyes so I can focus on where it is really coming from. It takes a moment longer than usual to clear my worry-cluttered mind, but I eventually get a fix on Kurogane-san.

I take off running with Sakura-hime in tow. I should have paid attention to that gunshot earlier; it came from the same direction as Kurogane's scream. If only-

"Syaoran-kun, I'm scared." Sakura snaps me out of my reverie with her timid statement. It must have been the scream coupled with my sudden running and dragging her along that did it. I wasn't about to leave her alone back there, but I wasn't just going to leave Kurogane to fend for himself either.

I don't have time to tell her all this right now, so I settle for turning back to her with a reassuring smile and a promise in my eyes before picking up the pace again.

"Ne, Syaoran! Are you sure it's this way?" Fai-san calls from behind. He sounds drawn and worried, objecting more out of habit and routine rather than genuine misgivings.

There is a light up ahead, the first in several yards that is lit in the inky blackness that has descended upon the city.

"I swear it came from this direction!" I call back to Fai, while just passing into that light.

Steel rustles lightly against a sheath, and this time I just let my instincts take over. Next thing I know my sword is in my hand and Sakura-hime is stumbling out of the light in the general direction of Fai-san. None of this a moment too soon, as Kurogane is on me in an instant.

His Souhi clashes against my Hien with bright spark flares as he moves with increasing speed and force. He is everywhere at once, and there is no way I can keep blocking him. I would not be able to hit him, even if I wanted to, without him… The look in his eyes says that if an opening were offered, he would fill it with a fatal blow. My breathing begins to grow ragged, and I start to get sluggish when I can least afford it. This could be it…

No. This will not be the time, will not be the place. I am about to move to renew my efforts when I hear Fai-san's voice from the shadows.

"What's Kuro-wan doing? Syaoran-kun's going to need those arms you're trying so hard to chop off." He says slowly and foolishly.

Kurogane-san has stopped dead. I take the brief moment of respite to catch my breath, not dropping my guard. Fai-san makes his dramatic entrance into the light, still holding Kurogane-san's full attention.

At the mere sight of Fai-san, Kurogane-san seems to go into shock. Souhi drops from his grip, and he sinks to his knees. There is something strangely chilling about the sight of him like this, something deeply wrong or twisted. Watching this seems like a violation to Kurogane-san's privacy, again. Looking at it from that point of view, I can see now that he was in a death-rage moments ago, just like I saw before in his past. Something happened on this world that I doubt that any of us will ever get the full picture of or understand completely.

"Kuro-rin, did I say something wrong?" Fai-san asks with a foolish grin that cannot quite cover up the quick glance he made over my shoulder. As he walks over to me, I let Hien's flame go out. The danger that can be fought with swords is over.

Fai-san simply looks at me a moment.

"You should go check on Sakura-chan, she's probably worried sick by now. No need to keep her near here. We'll be with you in a few minutes. We'll be fine." He says quietly.

I am wary and uncertain. To leave Kurogane-san and Fai-san alone out here, especially when Kurogane-san is like this…

But I listen and will leave because Fai-san often speaks with the voice of reason, no matter how ludicrous he acts. His voice always gets soft spoken like this when he is saying, or pointedly not saying, important things. Any moment now, though, he will try to make it all unnoticeably silly and forgettable with something like 'Or so I think.' or 'Or something like that'

"Or- " He begins.

"Yes, Fai-san." I cut him off and smile before leaving.

Outside of the ring of light, I sheathe Hien with my dropped scabbard.

"Sakura-hime." I whisper, and suddenly she is by my side. "I'm sor-"

"Shhh." She says with equaling softness. "Don't apologize. You did a good thing."

I lead her out into the brightly lit street, wondering what precisely she meant by that.

Sakura-hime and I sit on the curb a few minutes before a man on a horse comes by. He is tall and pale, with lengthy black hair draping over his shoulders. A gun is slung over his back. He stops next to us, and I help Sakura-hime to her feet so we can converse more easily. We still have to find the feather in this world.

"Excuse me miss, but I have lost something precious to me in this area. I am offering a reward for its safe return." He says politely. He bears himself with the utmost dignity. His face is sad and distant.

"Yes?" Sakura replies, turning to face him.

"It is a delicate silver necklace with a charm on the end." He responds, the tracings of a smile not quite making their way onto his face.

"It belongs to someone very dear to you." She said, raising a necklace fitting the descriptions to glitter in the lamplight. The charm on the end is one I recognize, even though I have only seen it once before, at Yuuko's house. It is Fai-san's tattoo forged out of silver, shining with an inner radiance. Again I get the feeling that something is going on that I will never quite know about.

"Yes, it did." He watches it, captivated. He gently, tenderly takes the necklace from her hand. He looks about as though he is both overjoyed and disappointed. "I don't know what I could offer you as a reward."

At this point I spot a small tuft of white poking out of his pocket. If that is what I think-

"Excuse me sir, but is that a feather in your pocket?" I ask. The man looks at his pocket musingly for awhile before pulling it out.

"Yes, it looked so pretty, so delicate and powerful, it reminded me of someone. I was going to give it to them." He smiled sadly, nostalgically. "That isn't ever going to happen now." He looked up. "If you want it, it is yours."

"Yes, please." Sakura-hime says with barely suppressed eagerness. I take it upon myself to take the feather from the man. I do so with the utmost care and gentleness as I can. He looks me in the eye, and I look him in the eye, and I have the sensation of knowing that someone is saying something to you, without actually being able to hear or understand them. He breaks eye contact a moment later.

"Farewell, maybe we shall meet again someday." He says before riding off at a brisk trot, back to where he came from.

I stand there a minute, mulling over what just happened before snapping out of it. I hold out Sakura-hime's feather to her, but before she can grab it simply drifts out of my hand into her.

She lets out a small sigh and begins to fall, but I catch her. I hold her tightly and look at her sleeping face.

Once more I vow to keep her safe and happy, so long as I live.


End file.
